Think about 6.4 million people. That's more people than live in 34 of the 50 states. It's also the number of Californians who are eligible to vote but are not registered.

Individuals are most directly responsible for shirking their most basic civic duty. But California's top election official, Secretary of State Debra Bowen, has a role.

Bowen, a Democrat, won a second four-year term in November. Now, she is running in a special election for a congressional seat in Los Angeles County left vacant when Jane Harman stepped down.

While she has her eye on Washington, Bowen has some unfinished business here in Sacramento, most notably bringing California's voter registration system into the computer age.

Bowen, a cautious person, last year canceled a contract with a software company that had agreed to create a voter database that would allow Californians to register to vote online.

But six months after winning re-election, the secretary of state and the Department of General Services have failed to put a new contract out for bid. The delay is unacceptable.

Kim Alexander of the nonpartisan California Voter Foundation gathered some statistics:

• California is one of two states that do not have an online tool for voters to look up their polling places.

• California is one of only nine states without a statewide tool allowing voters to check on their registration status.

• California is the only state that has not fully complied with the federal Help America Vote Act, passed by Congress after the 2000 presidential election debacle in Florida.

The Legislature approved online registration in 2008, to no avail. Clearly frustrated with delays and excuses, some lawmakers are plunging ahead with their own solutions.

Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, is carrying legislation that would authorize counties to permit online registration. The bill, SB 397, is headed for an initial committee hearing on Monday.

A county-by-county system is not the preferred method of registering voters. However, it may be the only solution, given the uncertain status of a statewide online voter registration.

Back to that number, 6.4 million people eligible to vote but not registered. That's more than are registered in all but five of the 50 states. Individuals should take it upon themselves to register. But California should make it as easy as logging onto a laptop.

Bowen has every right to run for another office. But she should not ignore her duties in this river city while her ambitions draw her to that other river city.

The Bee's past stands

"In a state where people relocate often, Californians have a right to expect that they can register to vote online. The task of creating a tamper-proof registration system undoubtedly is complex. Everything is complex in this state. But other states have created online voting systems. It's downright embarrassing that this state, with Silicon Valley, is a laggard."

– Sept. 30, 2010

© Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved.